Method and apparatus for personalization of a public multimedia communications terminal

ABSTRACT

A multimedia call is completed to a mobile user, who registered to receive a multimedia call at a multimedia terminal using a portable intelligent device. A mobile user record including a physical address of a multimedia terminal and a user address is stored. In response to a multimedia call addressed to the user address, the physical address is determined and call notification information is transmitted to the multimedia terminal at the physical address. The multimedia call is then completed to the multimedia terminal at the physical address.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. provisionalpatent application Serial No. 60/114,583 entitled “Method and Apparatusfor Personalization of Public Multimedia Terminals Among MultipleRegistrants,” filed on Dec. 31, 1998.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention provides a method of completing multimediacommunications. More particularly, the invention relates to a method andapparatus for completing a multimedia call to a mobile user who hasregistered to receive a multimedia call at a multimedia terminal using aportable intelligent device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] A portable intelligent device (“PID”), also known as a PersonalDigital Assistant (“PDA”), allows a person to carry and access a widevariety of data, such as address and phone data, date book andscheduling information, expense data, e-mail messages, memoranda, to-dolists, etc. An example of such a PID is the Palm V Organizer from 3ComCorporation. The Palm V includes a serial port that allows the Palm V tobe coupled to a personal computer to import and export data. The Palm Valso includes an infrared (“IR”) port that the allows the Palm V totransmit data to and receive data from other devices having an IR port,such as another Palm V.

[0004] Public “pay phones” and cellular communication technology (e.g.,cellular phones) allow a person to easily initiate an interactive voicecommunication (e.g., a voice phone call) with another person. It hasbeen more difficult for a person who is located away from home or officeto easily receive calls unless various non-systematic, ad-hoc mechanismsare used to notify the person's friends, family, and work colleagues ofthe address (e.g., phone number) of a nearby multimedia terminal (e.g.,telephone).

[0005] Typical public pay phones do not adequately allow a person who islocated away from home or office to easily receive calls because acaller to that person cannot know in advance the phone number of apublic phone to which the mobile person is in close proximity at anygiven time. Cellular phone technology does allow a cellular phonesubscriber to always have a known phone number, but current batterytechnology deters a cellular phone subscriber from leaving a cellularphone constantly on to receive an incoming call. Moreover, the typicalhigher price of cellular communication dampens the willingness of acellular phone subscriber to blithely advertise and accept any and allincoming phone calls.

[0006] The obstacles restricting a person's ability to receive incomingcommunications are exacerbated with the increase in types ofcommunications media. Even if cellular phone technology overcomes theobstacles noted above, it will still not be easy for a mobile person toreceive a paper fax from a cellular phone or participate in a videoconference. This difficulty includes the expense and physical bulk ofmultimedia receivers and transmitters (e.g., a fax machine, a videocamera) and the large bandwidth requirements of multimediacommunications (e.g., a video phone call) that cannot be met practicallyin the wireless electromagnetic spectrum.

[0007] The present invention in one embodiment advantageously allows amobile person to be the recipient of incoming multimedia calls byutilizing recent technological advances, such as the increasing ubiquityof standard data networking technology based on packet-switched InternetProtocol (“IP”) networks, the use of IP networks for multimedia calltransmission and call signaling, the increasing computing and storagecapacity of portable intelligent devices (e.g., at present these devicesare typically handheld PDAs, but soon such computing and storagecapacity will be available in smaller devices, such as watches, jewelry,or implants), and the increasing ability of a PID to communicate withother devices using wireless technology, such as infrared datatransmissions, a wireless Local Area Network (“LAN”), wireless Wide AreaNetwork (“WAN”) and/or a wireless Internet service provider (“WISP”).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention provides a method and apparatus forcompleting a multimedia call to a mobile user registered to receive amultimedia call at a multimedia terminal using a portable intelligentdevice. In an embodiment of the present invention, a mobile user recordincluding a physical address of a multimedia terminal and a user addressis stored, the physical address is determined in response to amultimedia call addressed to the user address, call notificationinformation is transmitted to the multimedia terminal at the physicaladdress, and the multimedia call is completed to the multimedia terminalat the physical address.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 shows a system in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

[0010]FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps executed inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011]FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary steps executed in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] A method and apparatus for completing a multimedia call isdescribed. In the following description, for purposes of explanation,numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the present invention. It will be obvious, however, toone skilled in the art that the present invention may be practicedwithout these specific details. In other instances, well knownstructures and devices are shown in block diagram form. Furthermore, itis readily apparent to one skilled in the art that the specificsequences in which steps are presented and performed are illustrativeand it is contemplated that the sequences can be varied and still remainwithin the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 1 shows a system in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. A first PID 110 and second PID 120 can each transmita message to and receive a message from a multimedia terminal 130, whichmessage transmission is described in greater detail below. Multimediaterminal 130 is coupled to a multimedia call processing server 150 vianetwork 140. The term “coupled” means connected directly or indirectly.Thus, A is “coupled” to C if A is directly connected to C, and A is“coupled” to C if A is connected directly to B, and B is directlyconnected to C.

[0014] First PID 110 includes a processor (not shown) coupled to memory112 and an IR port 117. Memory 112 is any device adapted to storedigital information, such as Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, ahard disk, an optical digital storage device, a combination thereof,etc. In one embodiment, and as illustrated in FIG. 1, memory 112includes a first user address data structure 113 and a first usercredential data structure 114. In another embodiment, a PID memoryincludes a first user address data structure, but not necessarily afirst user credential data structure. First user address data structure113 stores a user address, which can be a standard ten digit phonenumber (e.g., 732-732-0732), an IP address (e.g., 135.207.23.157), ane-mail address (e.g., JDoe@(employer.com), etc. The user address can bean address independent of the PID (e.g., an e-mail address) or anaddress of a communications device or connection such as an officetelephone number, an IP address of a computer, a facsimile number, etc.User credential data structure 114 can store authorization and/orauthentication operations information known in the art, such as a useraccount identifier, a password, a personal identification number(“PIN”), a public key, a shared secret key, etc. IR port 117 is coupledto memory 112 and transmits data to and receives data from an IR port ofanother communications device, e.g. a PID, a personal computer, amultimedia communications terminal, etc. In one embodiment of thepresent invention, cryptography is utilized to allow authentic, private,and otherwise secure communication of data between the PID 110 and themultimedia terminal 130. An example of such cryptography is the use ofpublic key/private key pairs to authenticate and encrypt/decryptmessages. First PID 110 can have a first PID address that identities thefirst PID to a wireless LAN connection, an infrared port, a wirelessInternet service provider, a wireless network, etc.

[0015] Second PID 120 includes a processor 131 coupled to memory 122 andan IR port 127. In one embodiment, and as illustrated in FIG. 1, memory122 includes a second user address data structure 123 and a second usercredential data structure 124. In another embodiment, a PID memoryincludes a second user address data structure, but not necessarily asecond user credential data structure. Second user address datastructure 123 stores a user address, and second user credential datastructure 124 can store authorization and/or authentication operationsinformation known in the art, such as a user account identifier, apassword, a personal identification number (“PIN”), a public key, ashared secret key, etc. IR port 127 is coupled to memory 122. In oneembodiment of the present invention, cryptography is utilized to allowauthentic, private, and otherwise secure communication of data betweenthe second PID 120 and the multimedia terminal 130. In anotherembodiment in accordance with the present invention, second PID 120 canhave a second PID address that identifies the second PID to a wirelessLAN connection, an infrared port, a wireless Internet service provider,a wireless network, etc.

[0016] Multimedia terminal (“MMT”) 130 includes a processor (not shown)coupled to a memory 132, an IR port 137, and a network port 138.Multimedia terminal 130 can also include the necessary multimediareceivers and transmitters necessary for multimedia communications overnetwork 140. Examples of multimedia receivers/transmitters include amicrophone, audio speakers, a keyboard, a video display, a data display,and a facsimile device. For simplification, the multimediareceiver/transmitter components of the multimedia terminal 130 are notshown in the illustration. As used to describe the present invention,multimedia communications include audio, video, graphics, animation,facsimile, text communications, a combination thereof, etc. Network port138 is adapted to be coupled to network 140. In one embodiment, networkport 138 is coupled to the network 140 via a physical connection, suchas a wire cable, fiber link, or coaxial cable. Such wire or fiberconnections typically can support higher bandwidths than wirelessconnections. IR port 137 is coupled to memory 132 and network port 138.Memory 132 is any device adapted to store digital information, such asRandom Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, a hard disk, an opticaldigital storage device, a combination thereof, etc. Multimedia terminal132 has a physical address. As used to describe the present invention,the term “physical address” encompasses an address that identifies themultimedia terminal to the network 140. For example, a public pay phonecan have a phone number for incoming calls, and calls made to thatphysical address are completed to that public pay phone. A residentialtelephone line can have a fixed phone number such that calls made tothat number are completed to that residential telephone line. A computercoupled to an IP network terminal can have an IP address that identifiesthat computer to other computers coupled to the IP network.

[0017] Each of first PID 110 and second PID 120 can transmit a messageto and receive a message from multimedia terminal 130. For example, asillustrated in FIG. 1, first PID 110 transmits data via IR port 117 tomultimedia terminal 130 via IR port 137. Such data transmissionrepresents an example of a low-bandwidth connection in an embodiment ofthe present invention. In another embodiment, a PID can transmit amessage to a multimedia terminal by other ways known in the art such asa physical cable (e.g., wire, fiber, Universal Serial Bus (“USB”)connection, serial port cable, etc.) connected to both the PID and themultimedia terminal, a physical joining of the PID and the multimediaterminal that establishes electrical connectivity between the two (e.g.,via a docking station coupled to or part of the multimedia terminal andinto which the PID is docked), or a wireless connection between the PIDand the multimedia terminal (e.g., wireless LAN, wireless IP, wirelessWAN, radio transmission, etc.).

[0018] Multimedia terminal 130 is coupled to multimedia call processingserver 150 by network 140, which can comprise one or more of thefollowing: a LAN, an IP network, a WAN, an asynchronous transfer mode(“ATM”) network, a circuit-switched network, etc. In an embodiment ofthe present invention, the network connection between multimediaterminal 130 and multimedia call processing server 150 is ahigh-bandwidth connection such as an ATM network connection (e.g.,155.52 million bits per second, 622.08 million bits per second ahigh-speed IP connection (e.g., a T1, T3, T4 connection), etc.

[0019] Multimedia call processing server 150 includes a processor 151,memory 152, and network port 158. The processor 151 in one embodiment isa general purpose microprocessor, such as the Pentium III processormanufactured by the Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif. In anotherembodiment, the processor 151 is an Application Specific IntegratedCircuit (ASIC), which has been designed to perform in hardware andfirmware at least part of the method in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention. Memory 152 is any device adapted to store digitalinformation, such as Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, a harddisk, an optical digital storage device, a combination thereof, etc.Memory 152 is coupled to processor 151 and network port 158 adapted tobe coupled to a network.

[0020] Memory 152 includes address registry and translation instructions(“ARTI”) 153, a first mobile user record 154, and a second mobile userrecord 155, each of which will be described in further detail below.Memory 152 also includes authorization and authentication instructions(“AAI”) (not shown), which are known in the art and performauthorization and authentication operations. Authorization operationsinclude determining whether a mobile user is authorized to receive acall, how long a mobile user can be provided communications services,etc. For example, a mobile user may be authorized to receive a certainnumber of multimedia calls during a period (e.g., 25 calls per month), acertain number of minutes of multimedia calls per period (e.g., 300minutes a month), or an unspecified amount (e.g., is billed for minutesactually used), etc. Alternatively, the authorization information can bea credit card number or other financial account to charge for feesassociated with a multimedia call. Authentication operations are alsoknown in the art. For example, authentication information can beutilized to provide an indication that the user address is transmittedby the proper mobile user. Authentication information includes a usercredential stored within the PID (e.g., a password, a PIN, a secret key,a public key, etc.), a user credential that a mobile user is prompted toenter (e.g., a password, a PIN, etc.), or a combination of the two. Inone embodiment, the AAI receive a first user address and a first usercredential from the first PID 110 and determine whether the user addressis authentic and authorized. In another embodiment, cryptography is usedto allow authentic, private, and otherwise secure communication of databetween the PDA and the multimedia terminal, and the AAI includeinstructions to perform cryptographic techniques, such as using publickey/private key pairs to authenticate and encrypt/decrypt messages. Inanother embodiment in accordance with the present invention, the AAIaccess user and/or accounting databases when performing authenticationand authorization operations.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, authentication andauthorization operations are performed after receiving a user addressfrom a PID. A data message including a first user credential can be sentfrom first PID 110 to the multimedia call processing server 150 with themultimedia terminal 130 acting as a data bridge between the first PID110 and the multimedia call processing server 150. Data bridge apparatusand techniques are known in the art. In an embodiment in accordance withthe present invention, industry standard data transport bridgetechniques are employed to allow advantageous service deployments.Industry standard data transport techniques can allow data messagetransmissions between first PID 110 and a multimedia call processingserver 150 to be conducted without the multimedia terminal 130 havingknowledge of the content of a data message or of a cryptographictechnique employed with a data message.

[0022] The address registry and translation instructions 153 (“ARTI”)include instructions to store associated addresses (e.g., a first useraddress and a physical address) in a mobile user record of memory 152and instructions to determine an associated address (e.g., a physicaladdress) from a mobile user record upon receiving an address (e.g., auser address). In one embodiment, the ARTI 153 include instructions toconfirm that the AAI have determined that a user address has beenauthenticated and authorized prior to being registered (i.e.,associated) with a physical address in a mobile user record (e.g., bychecking the status of a data register, a data flag, etc.).

[0023] The first PID 110 transmits a first data message including afirst user address to the multimedia terminal 130. The multimediaterminal 130 transmits a message, including the physical address of themultimedia terminal 130 and the first user address, to the multimediacall processing server 150. The ARTI 153 can create a mapping (i.e.,correlation, association, registration) between the received first useraddress and physical address by storing each in the first mobile userrecord 154 in memory 152. In one embodiment of the present invention,the first mobile user record 154 encompasses two entries in a row of alookup table including two columns and a plurality of rows. The firstuser address is stored in the first column of a particular row and thephysical address is stored in the second column of that particular row.Table 1 below illustrates a lookup table storing a first mobile userrecord that includes a registration of a user address “JDoe” with aphysical address “135.207.23.157.” TABLE 1 User Address Physical Address. . . . . . JDoe 135.207.23.157 RSmith 135.207.23.157 . . . . . .

[0024] Other methods and apparatus for associating data in a databaseare well known in the art. For example, in one embodiment, a data matrixcomprises a plurality of columns and two rows, with each address of acorrelated pair addresses stored in a common column. In anotherembodiment, each address of a pair of mapped addresses are stored in amemory in sequence, with the address of a first address storedimmediately prior to the corresponding address of a second address.

[0025] The ARTI 153 also perform address translation for a multimediacall addressed to a first user address by determining the physicaladdress registered with the first user address. In one embodiment, themultimedia call processing server is part of an H.323 compliantcommunications system, and the ARTI are performed by an H.323 Gatekeepercomponent in conjunction with a dynamic database containing mappinginformation between user addresses and physical addresses. In anotherembodiment, the multimedia call processing server receives a multimediacall addressed to a first user address via a call forwarding techniqueknown in the art, and determines the first user address from AutomaticNumber Information (“ANI”) included with the multimedia call. With thefirst user address, the ARTI of multimedia call processing server 150can determine the physical address registered with the first useraddress in the first mobile user record by methods well known in the artof data retrieval from a database. In another embodiment, the multimediacall processing server 150 is coupled to an ATM network, receives aquery from an ATM switch including the first user address, determinesthe physical address associated with the first user address in the firstmobile user record 154, and transmits to the ATM switch a responseincluding the physical address. After the ARTI determine the physicaladdress registered with the first user address, the multimedia callprocessing server 150 can cause the multimedia call to be completed tothe physical address, i.e., to the multimedia terminal 130.

[0026] In one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of useraddresses are registered to receive multimedia calls at multimediaterminal 130. For example, first PID 110 can transmit a first datamessage to multimedia call processing server 150 via multimedia terminal130 to register a first user address with the physical address ofmultimedia terminal 130. Second PID 120 can also transmit a second datamessage to multimedia call processing server 150 via multimedia terminal130 to register a second user address with the physical address ofmultimedia terminal 130. The registrations can be conductedsequentially, i.e., the first- user address registration is completedprior to the second user address registration. In another embodiment,the registrations can be conducted simultaneously (i.e., overlapping intime). For example, the first data message transmitted between first PID110 and multimedia call processing server 150 via multimedia terminal130 can be transmitted using the Internet Protocol, where the first datamessage is divided into a series of data packets. The second datamessage transmitted between second PID 110 and multimedia callprocessing server 150 via multimedia terminal 130 can also betransmitted using the Internet Protocol, such that the second datamessage is divided into a series of data packets. The multimediaterminal 130 can receive a series of data packets from the first PID 110and then a series of data packets from the second PID 120 such thatmultimedia terminal 130 is receiving the first data message from thefirst PID 110 and the second data message from the second PID 120 overthe same period of time. In accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention, a plurality of different user addresses can beassociated with one physical address of a multimedia terminal 130. Table1, illustrated above, stores (1) a first mobile user record including afirst user address “JDoe” and the physical address “135.207.23.157” and(2) a second mobile user record including a second user address “RSmith”and the same physical address “135.207.23.157”.

[0027] After the multimedia call processing server 150 determines thephysical address to which a multimedia call addressed to a first useraddress will be completed, the multimedia call processing server 150 cantransmit call notification information to the multimedia terminal 130 inconcert with (e.g., prior to, while, after) completing the multimediacall to the multimedia terminal 130. In one embodiment of the presentinvention, the call notification information includes the first useraddress. Upon receiving call notification information including thefirst user address, the multimedia terminal 130 generates anannouncement to notify the first user that the multimedia call addressedto the first user address will be (or is, or has been) completed to themultimedia terminal 130. The announcement can be a multimediaannouncement, including audio, video, text, or a combination thereof,etc. For example, in one embodiment, the multimedia terminal 130produces a Synthesized Voice message, such as “Incoming Call for JDoe.”In another embodiment, the multimedia terminal 130 generates a textmessage (e.g., “Call for JDoe”) and transmits it over IR port 137 toeach PID within the data transmission range of the IR port 137. In oneembodiment, the multimedia terminal generates an audible signalindicating an incoming call (e.g., ring, buzz, chirp, etc.) and displaysa textual message including the first user address (e.g., “Incoming callfor JDoe”).

[0028] In another embodiment of the present invention, the first PID 110transmits a first set of data, including a first user address and afirst PID address, to the multimedia terminal 130, which in turntransmits its physical address and the first set of data to themultimedia call processing server 150. The ARTI 153 can create a mappingbetween the received first user address, first PID address, and physicaladdress by storing each in the first mobile user record 154. The secondPID 120 also transmits a second set of data, including a second useraddress and a second PID address, to the multimedia terminal 130, whichin turn transmits its physical address and the second set of data to themultimedia call processing server 150. The ARTI 153 can create a mappingbetween the received second user address, second PID address, andphysical address by storing each in the second mobile user record 154.For example, Table 2, illustrated below, stores (1) a first mobile userrecord that registers a first user address “JDoe” with a first PIDaddress “PID_One” and physical address “135.207.23.157” and (2) a secondmobile user record that registers a second user address “JDoe” with asecond PID address “PID_Two” and the physical address “135.207.23.157.”TABLE 2 User Address PID Address Physical Address . . . . . . . . . JDoePID_One 135.207.23.157 RSmith PID_Two 135.207.23.157 . . . . . . . . .

[0029] After receiving a first multimedia call to the first useraddress, the multimedia call processing server 150 determines the firstPID address and physical address corresponding to the first useraddress. In one embodiment, in concert with completing the multimediacall to the physical address, the multimedia call processing server 150transmits call notification information, including a call notificationmessage and the first PID address, to the multimedia terminal 130. Themultimedia terminal 130 then transmits the call notification message tothe first PID address, i.e., the first PID. In another embodiment, themultimedia call processing server 150 transmits call notificationinformation, including the first PID address, to the multimedia terminal130, which generates and transmits a call notification message to thefirst PID address, i.e., the first PID. The call notification messagecan be a multimedia message, including audio, video, text, or acombination thereof, etc.

[0030]FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps executed inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention, which embodimentadvantageously provides a measure of security in completing a multimediacall to a mobile user registered to receive calls at a multimediaterminal. In this embodiment, a plurality of mobile users, including afirst mobile user, has registered at a multimedia terminal in accordancewith the present invention. A multimedia call addressed to a first useris received, but not completed to the multimedia terminal until after aconfirming message, including a first user credential, is received fromthe first user.

[0031] A first mobile user with a first PID causes the first PID totransmit a message including a first user address and a first usercredential to a multimedia terminal (“MMT”) (step 201). The multimediaterminal transmits a message including the physical address of themultimedia terminal, the first user address, and first user credentialto a multimedia call processing server (“server”) (step 202). The servercontains authentication and authorization instructions (“AAI”) thatdetermine, based at least partly upon the first user address and firstuser credential, that the first user address is authentic and authorizedfor registration with the server (step 203). The server also containsaddress registry and translation instructions (“ARTI”) that create amapping in memory between the first user address and physical address(step 204). A second mobile user with a second PID causes the second PIDto transmit a message including a second user address and a second usercredential to a multimedia terminal (“MMT”) (step 205). The multimediaterminal transmits a message including the physical address of themultimedia terminal, the second user address, and second user credentialto a multimedia call processing server (“server”) (step 206). The AAIdetermine, based at least partly upon the second user address and seconduser credential, that the second user address is authentic andauthorized for registration with the server (step 207). The ARTI createa mapping in memory between the second user address and physical address(step 208).

[0032] The server then receives a multimedia call addressed to the firstuser address and holds the multimedia call in a queue (step 209). TheARTI determine the physical address corresponding to the first useraddress based at least partly upon the stored mapping between the useraddress and the physical address (step 210). The server sends callnotification information to the multimedia terminal (step 211). In oneembodiment the call notification information includes information thatthe multimedia terminal can announce, e.g., the user address, the calledparty's name, etc. In another embodiment, the call notificationinformation can be a multimedia announcement that the multimediaterminal can announce (e.g., audibly), transmit (e.g., broadcast,transmit from the multimedia terminal to the first PID, etc.), display,etc. The server then completes the multimedia call to the multimediaterminal, i.e., the physical address (step 212).

[0033]FIG. 3 illustrates steps executed in accordance with an embodimentof the present invention which provides a measure of security incompleting a multimedia call to a first mobile user. The multimedia callprocessing server receives the first user credential during registrationof the first user address with the physical address and stores the firstuser credential in a first mobile user record (step 301). A multimediacall addressed to the first user address is received and held in a queue(step 302), and the physical address registered with the first useraddress is determined (step 303). The multimedia terminal receives callnotification information from the server (step 304) and sends anotification to the first PID that the multimedia call will not becompleted to the multimedia terminal until after the first usercredential is resent to the multimedia terminal (step 305). Themultimedia terminal then receives a re-sent first user credential fromthe first PID (step 306). The re-sent first user credential is thenreceived by the server and compared to the stored first user credential,i.e., the first user credential received and stored in step 301. If there-sent first user credential corresponds to the stored first usercredential, the multimedia call is completed to the multimedia terminal.(step 309). If the re-sent first user credential does not correspond tothe stored first user credential (e.g., the re-sent credential does notmatch the stored credential), the server can take a call terminationaction, such as forwarding the multimedia call to a call messagingservice (e.g., voice mail, a multimedia message center, etc.), informingthe calling party that the multimedia call cannot be completed, etc.(step 310). In one embodiment of the invention, the server can repeatsteps 304-308 a set number of times prior to taking a call terminationaction.

[0034] In another embodiment of the present invention, the multimediacall processing server stores the first user credential in a firstmobile user record when the first user address is registered with thephysical address, but the server does not use the first user credentialto perform authentication or authorization operations. The multimediacall processing terminal, after receiving a multimedia call and prior totransmitting the multimedia call to the multimedia terminal, receives are-sent first user credential from first PID via the multimedia terminaland compares it to the stored first user credential. If the stored firstuser credential matches the re-sent first user credential, there is acertain amount of assurance that the proper mobile user (i.e., the firstmobile user) is present at the multimedia terminal to receive the call.

[0035] In one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, agroup of multimedia terminals are bundled together in a hunt group toserve the needs of a plurality of mobile users. Hunt groups are known inthe art, and in a hunt group a plurality of telephone lines areassociated such that if a first line is busy and cannot receive anincoming call, a next line is hunted to receive the incoming call. Ifthat next line is busy and cannot receive the incoming call, anotherline is hunted, etc. In an embodiment of the present invention, after afirst mobile user and a second mobile user have registered with amultimedia terminal in accordance with the present invention, amultimedia call to the second user is received by a multimedia callprocessing server. The multimedia call processing server determines thephysical address registered with the second user address, and determineswhether the physical address is available to receive a multimedia call.If the physical address is not available to receive the multimedia call,the multimedia call processing server determines whether the physicaladdress is part of a hunt group. If the physical address is part of ahunt group, the multimedia call processing server determines anavailable physical address of the hunt group, and completes the call tothat physical address in accordance with the present invention. Thisembodiment advantageously allows a multimedia call to be completed to amobile user when the multimedia terminal at which the mobile userpreviously registered is occupied in serving the communication needs ofanother mobile user. The multimedia call can be completed to one of themultimedia terminals of the hunt group that is not engaged ininteractive multimedia communications.

[0036] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,instructions adapted for execution are stored on a medium anddistributed as software. The medium is any device adapted to storedigital information, and corresponds to the memory of multimedia callprocessing server 150. For example, a medium is a portable magneticdisk, such as a floppy disk; or a Zip® disk, manufactured by the IomegaCorporation of Roy, Utah; or a Compact Disk Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) asis known in the art for distributing software. The medium is distributedto a user that has a processor suitable for executing instructionsadapted for execution, e.g. a processor of server 150, etc. The term“adapted for execution” is meant to encompass any instructions that areready for execution in their present form (e.g., machine code) by aprocessor, or require further manipulation (e.g., compilation,decryption, or provided with an access code, etc.) to be ready forexecution by a processor.

[0037] The present invention advantageously allows a mobile user with aPID to securely and reliably communicate with a multimedia terminal toregister to receive multimedia calls at the multimedia terminal. Anembodiment of the present invention advantageously separates both (1)the data that enables secure authentication and authorization of amobile user (e.g., service logic, credentials) and (2) the user addressof the mobile user (e.g., a phone number, an e-mail address) from thedevice that physically contains and supports the necessary mediareceivers and transmitters (e.g., a multimedia terminal including amicrophone, a speaker, a video camera, a video display, a facsimilemachine, or a combination thereof).

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for completing a multimedia calladdressed to a user address of a mobile user, the mobile user havingregistered to receive a multimedia call at a multimedia terminal with apersonal intelligent device (“PID”), comprising: storing a user addressand a physical address of the multimedia terminal in a mobile userrecord, wherein the user address was received from the PID via themultimedia terminal; responsive to a multimedia call addressed to theuser address, determining the physical address based at least partlyfrom the mobile user record; transmitting call notification informationto the multimedia terminal at the physical address; and completing themultimedia call to the multimedia terminal at the physical address. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein the call notification informationincludes the user address.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the callnotification information includes a call announcement message.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein storing a user address includes storing a PIDaddress, wherein the PID address was received from the PID via themultimedia terminal; and determining the physical address includesdetermining the PID address.
 5. The method of claim 4, whereintransmitting the call notification information includes the PID address.6. The method of claim 5, wherein the call notification informationincludes a call announcement message.
 7. The method of claim 4, whereintransmitting the call notification information includes transmitting acall announcement message addressed to the PID address.
 8. The method ofclaim 4, wherein storing a user address includes storing a usercredential, wherein the user credential was received from the PID viathe multimedia terminal; and determining the physical address of themultimedia terminal includes determining the PID address.
 9. The methodof claim 8, wherein the step of storing in a memory a mobile user recordis performed only if the user address is determined to be authenticbased at least in part from the user credential.
 10. The method of claim8, wherein the step of storing in a memory a mobile user record isperformed only if the user address is determined to be authorized. 11.The method of claim 9, wherein the step of storing in a memory a mobileuser record is performed only if the user address is determined to beauthorized.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein completing the multimediacall to the multimedia terminal at the physical address includes:receiving a second user credential; and completing the multimedia callto the multimedia terminal at the physical address only if the receivedsecond user credential corresponds to the stored user credential.
 13. Amethod for processing a multimedia call addressed to a user address of amobile-user having used a personal intelligent device (“PID”) toregister to receive a multimedia call at a multimedia terminal,comprising: associating a physical address of the multimedia terminaland a user address, the user address having been received from a PID viathe multimedia terminal; responsive to a multimedia call addressed tothe user address, determining the physical address based at least partlyfrom the association of the physical address and the user address;determining that the multimedia call cannot be completed to the physicaladdress; determining a second physical address, wherein the physicaladdress and the second physical address are each part of a hunt group ofphysical addresses; transmitting call notification information to themultimedia terminal at the second physical address; and completing themultimedia call to the second physical address.
 14. The method of claim13, wherein the call notification information includes the user address.15. The method of claim 14, wherein the call notification informationincludes a call announcement message.
 16. An apparatus for completing amultimedia call addressed to a user address of a mobile user whoregistered, using a personal intelligent device (“PID”), to receive amultimedia call at a multimedia terminal, comprising: a. a processor;and b. a memory, coupled to said processor, storing a plurality ofinstructions adapted to be executed by said processor to: store a useraddress and a physical address of the multimedia terminal in a mobileuser record, wherein the user address was received from a PID via themultimedia terminal; responsive to a multimedia call addressed to theuser address, determine the physical address based at least partly fromthe mobile user record; transmit call notification information to themultimedia terminal at the physical address; and complete the multimediacall to the multimedia terminal at the physical address.
 17. Theapparatus of claim 16, wherein the user address storing instructionsinclude instructions to store a PID address, wherein the PID address wasreceived from the PID via the multimedia terminal; and the physicaladdress determining instructions include instructions to determine thePID address.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein: the user addressstoring instructions include instructions to store a user credential,wherein the user credential was received from the PID via the multimediaterminal; and the physical address determining instructions includeinstructions to determine the PID address.
 19. A system for completing amultimedia call addressed to a user address of a mobile user whoregistered to receive a multimedia call at a multimedia terminal,comprising: means for storing a user address and a physical address ofthe multimedia terminal in a mobile user record; responsive to amultimedia call addressed to the user address, means for determining thephysical address based at least partly from the mobile user record;means for transmitting call notification information to the multimediaterminal at the physical address; and means for completing themultimedia call to the multimedia terminal at the physical address. 20.A medium storing a plurality of instructions adapted for execution by aprocessor for completing a multimedia call addressed to a user addressof a mobile user who registered to receive a multimedia call at amultimedia terminal, said plurality of instructions comprisinginstructions to: store a user address and a physical address of themultimedia terminal in a mobile user record, wherein the user addresswas received from a PID via the multimedia terminal; responsive to amultimedia call addressed to the user address, determine the physicaladdress based at least partly from the mobile user record; transmit callnotification information to the multimedia terminal at the physicaladdress; and complete the multimedia call to the multimedia terminal atthe physical address.
 21. The medium of claim 20, wherein theinstructions to store a user address include instructions to store a PIDaddress, wherein the PID address was received from the PID via themultimedia terminal; and the instructions to determine the physicaladdress include instructions to determine the PID address.
 22. Themedium of claim 20, wherein the instructions to store a user addressinclude instructions to store a user credential, wherein the usercredential was received from the PID via the multimedia terminal; andthe instructions to determine the physical address of the multimediaterminal include instructions to determine the PID address.
 23. Themedium of claim 8, wherein the instructions to complete the multimediacall to the multimedia terminal at the physical address includeinstructions to: receive a second user credential; complete themultimedia call to the multimedia terminal at the physical address onlyif the received second user credential corresponds to the stored usercredential.